Mindful Eating

Find yourself a small piece of wrapped chocolate, a small egg, a square of chocolate or since it is Easter a small chocolate Easter bunny.

Hold it in your hand and observe it. Move it around and look at its shape and size.

Now hold it up to your nose and take and inhale the delicious chocolate aroma that it is exuding.

Close your eyes and anticipate that aroma turning into a magical chocolate taste in your mouth.

Now slowly unwrap this wonderful treasure. Keep it slow.

Once it is unwrapped observe it again and take in the aroma.

Now place the piece of chocolate in your mouth and let it melt slowly.

Close your eyes and be one with the taste of the chocolate as it fills your mouth with ecxtasy.

The whole process may take up to 5 minutes or more. If you have more than one piece of chocolate repeat the process always going slowly.

What you have just experienced is being in the present moment
while you taste and feel the food you are eating.

How is this different from how you usually eat? Only you can answer that but I bet you have never tasted or enjoyed a piece of chocolate as much as you did this time.

One person who tried this told me she was a Chocoholic and would normally eat a whole box of chocolates at one sitting. Since doing the mindul eating exercise one chocolate satisfies her because the flavor is so much more intense.

Expand your mindful experience:
eat an orange mindfully, one segment at a time
make tea or coffee mindfully, one step at a time
wash dishes mindfully one cup, glass or plate
eat an entire meal mindfully

Mindfulness helps you stay in the present moment, allows you to taste and enjoy your food more fully and in the end may curb your appetite. When you stay in the present moment you will become more aware of when your appetite is sated sooner than you usually do.

Be mindful, fully enjoy your food and reap the benefits.Let us know here what the experience of mindful eating has been for you?